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Old 13 Mar 2006, 20:14 (Ref:1547462)   #1
plutoman99
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Where are they now?

Forgive me if any of these have been mentioned before, but some genuinely talented drivers just slip off the radar, and I wondered what became of the following:

Dave Scott - F3 race winner and pole on F2 debut circa 1982.
Bo Martinsson - sensational in FFord circa 1980.
Michel Trolle - quick in F3000 but seriously injured in 1988.
Francois Hesnault - surprisingly good in Ligier in '84, but replaced quickly at Brabham in '85.
Richard Trott - dominant in FFord in early '80s, and competitive in F3.
Pierre Petit - walked over the opposition in French F3, but slightly disappointing in F2 (again, early 80's).
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Old 13 Mar 2006, 22:25 (Ref:1547571)   #2
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You can find details of what Hesnault and Trolle are doing now here:

http://www.oldracingcars.com/bydriver/watn.asp

Hesnault is in the F1 list, Trolle in the F3000s. Scott is also listed in the F3000s but with a blank entry.
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Old 14 Mar 2006, 13:31 (Ref:1547984)   #3
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rbs should be qualifying in the top 5 on the gridrbs should be qualifying in the top 5 on the grid
Richard Trott drove a RALT RT1 in HSCC races last year.
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Old 14 Mar 2006, 13:59 (Ref:1548016)   #4
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plutoman, if I can add my opinion on a few of those you mention. First I don't recall Bo M being sensational in FF in the early 80s, from memory he was OK but not that great.

Richard T dominated in FF2000 in 1980, but to be frank he wasn't up against too much, and in F3 later he never had much money behind him. Dave Scott looked good in his first F3 year in 1981, but didn't take it on the next year. He was on pole for his first F2 race at Silverstone in '83, which was a v good effort, tho' I think he had good tyres. Later in the year he didn't do too much at all, tho' did return to F3 in 85 and showed 1 or 2 well regarded 'youngsters' the way.

As for the French drivers you mention, Hesnault was a rich kid wasn't he, Petit never really shone in F3 or F2, and Trolle I think was the best of all you mention. He had a bad F3000 shunt in 88 as I recall, which killed his career I think.

Last edited by John Turner; 14 Mar 2006 at 14:15.
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Old 14 Mar 2006, 15:18 (Ref:1548060)   #5
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Hello, hello!

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Originally Posted by rbs
Richard Trott drove a RALT RT1 in HSCC races last year.
... and he has just had his trailer stolen complete with RALT RT1 inside!
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Old 14 Mar 2006, 15:26 (Ref:1548068)   #6
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I'm not saying these guys were earth-shattering, but they're the ones I remember who simply disappeared from view.

I agree Trolle was probably the best of the bunch, but I don't know if he even raced again after the accident - he's been a bit forgotten probably due to Herbert's crash a little later in the season. If I remember correctly, Fabien Giroix also broke his legs that year, but he continued in sportscars.

As for the others; Martinsson won first time out in FF2000 I think, but I only have vague memories of reading about him in Autosport. He seemed to be highly rated at the time.

Scott briefly had a Lotus F1 test contract, but wasn't able to 'do a Mansell'; his momentum fizzled out a bit in F2 after his strong start.

Hesnault wasn't great, but after being promoted prematurely to F1 with little expectation, he was a minor revelation. I think his time at Brabham ended with a huge testing accident, but don't know the details.

You say Petit never shone in F3? He dominated the French F3 championship - admittedly not the most competitive series, but even so... . I remember him racing F2, but the results didn't come, and I lost track of where he went next.
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Old 14 Mar 2006, 15:39 (Ref:1548074)   #7
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Done some searches on Martinsson; he did indeed win first time out in FF2000 at Donington in October 1980. He also won the EFDA FF1600 title in the same year. At the festival he was 2nd in heat, 2nd QF, 4th SF and 8th in final. Those ahead of him included Moreno, Byrne, Morris, Palmer and Coyne, so he was in good company.

However, my search has thrown up another name I'd forgotten; Fred Krab - anyone remember him?
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Old 14 Mar 2006, 16:01 (Ref:1548094)   #8
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Too nice!

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Originally Posted by plutoman99
You say Petit never shone in F3? He dominated the French F3 championship - admittedly not the most competitive series, but even so... . I remember him racing F2, but the results didn't come, and I lost track of where he went next.
I met Pierre when he was driving for Maurer. It was the Easter Thruxton meeting and on the Saturday I had a long chat with him about driver's attitudes to the public, their willingness to get involved and the lifestyle. I thought he was a very likeable person and suspect he was too nice to have succeeded.

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Old 14 Mar 2006, 17:20 (Ref:1548155)   #9
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Originally Posted by plutoman99
However, my search has thrown up another name I'd forgotten; Fred Krab - anyone remember him?
Dutchman, did some Formula Ford and F3 but then disappeared for yonks until he turned up in Euro Metro challenge in 1987 and then partnered some guy in Dutch Group A and some ETC rounds in 1988/89. Believe it was a Compaq sponsored Bimmer M3. It was at Donington 500 in 1988 anyway!

Re the others, Trott actually ran other guys in his FF2000 and F3 cars under RTR banner sometimes as well.

Dave Scott, he most certainly was a good driver and despite having some backing from Swift Caravans (family business I believe) he didn't get enough to do a proper assault on F3000 which is where he should have been in 1986 as he was still young enough compared to a lot of the others.

Trolle's career damaging shunt was actually at Brands Hatch in 1988 as well. Poor Michelle crashed heavily in saturday qualifying, and Herbert's was just after the restart on the Sunday.

Hesnault - yes I also think he was a wealthy rent a driver, perhaps bit more talented than the very similar situations of the Deletraz', Belmondo's and Barilla's who were much better in sportscars than in a single seater.

Petit certainly was a quick driver, he was in F2 for few years wasn't he and also did a few 3000 rounds?

Martinsson - hadn't actually heard of him, but he sounds like a Victor Rosso, Tomi Luthanen, Andy King or Jason Elliott to me. I.E bags of promise in Formula Ford but career peters out when they move up the ladder
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Old 14 Mar 2006, 18:49 (Ref:1548250)   #10
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Speaking of 1980s watn, anyone know what happened to John Alcorn ? I remember him in 135cc karts at European level, then driving the Dagenham Motors sponsored Reynard FF2000 before dabbling in other categories including F3000. I wouldn't put him in the revelation category, but he was a competent Brit at international level that vanished off the scene completely.
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Old 14 Mar 2006, 20:54 (Ref:1548936)   #11
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What a really interesting bunch of names thrown up here. From memory I can make a few comments on a some listed.
Dave Scott:I witnessed some of Dave's outings in F3, and as Chunterer points out, he was very quick. Swift Caravans were indeed the family business, but he still had nowhere near the budget available to progress.

Bo Martinsson:Again,I agree with Dan Rear here.I saw Bo in 1600's, and against the likes of Moreno,Boesel,Byrne etc,he didn't stand out.

Michel Trolle:In 38 years of racing I have never witnessed so many bad accidents in one weekend. Johnny's accident on the Sunday always gets the column inches, but Enrico Bertaggio split his Dallara in half on the Saturday afternoon at the top of Paddock (a very lucky escape as the car had split across Enrique's hips). Many other smaller incidents certainly spoilt what looked to be a brilliant weekend. Michel had waved at us from the Oreca motorhome as we walked across South Bank early on the Saturday morning,and that night nearly died from pneumonia. I'm not sure he would have made it right to the top, I always put him in the same league as Comas & Grouillard.

Francois Hesnault: Certainly more talented than many 'pay' drivers before or since. Witnessed him talking to a group of spectators and photographers at Zandvoort during a GP weekend, and thought there and then that he was far too nice and polite to make a decent GP driver!

Richard Trott: Richards opposition in 1600 and 2000's certainly wasn't as strong as other years, but I still felt he was one of the quickest English drivers around at the time. I was pleased to see his return to racing in the last couple of years, but angered and annoyed at his recent theft. Not only did the trailer with the Ralt disappear, but several Chevron parts that were to be used by him this season.

Pierre Petit:Agree totally with Steve on this one. I also met Pierre at the last F2 race at Brands in 84. Lovely bloke but was never going to set the world alight.

Tommi Luhtanen: Stunningly fast in FF2000. I was marshalling at Snetterton (Riches) when Tommi's Reynard hit the bank in front of me at enormous pace after the throttle stuck open. Out he jumped, pulled a pack of Marlboro lights from his top pocket, wrapped his overalls round his waist and whilst smoking and sunbathing laughed his head off!! I got the impression he didn't take it serious enough to make it big!
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Old 14 Mar 2006, 21:00 (Ref:1548940)   #12
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Originally Posted by davyboy
Speaking of 1980s watn, anyone know what happened to John Alcorn ? I remember him in 135cc karts at European level, then driving the Dagenham Motors sponsored Reynard FF2000 before dabbling in other categories including F3000. I wouldn't put him in the revelation category, but he was a competent Brit at international level that vanished off the scene completely.
I remember there being nothing between John and Paul Warwick when they were teammates in 2000's. He certainly showed well at F3000 level, but as you say, once he realised he didnt have the budget simply disappeared.
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Old 14 Mar 2006, 21:43 (Ref:1548962)   #13
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Fred Krab is instructing at Zandvoort, when not doing his day job.
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Old 15 Mar 2006, 00:11 (Ref:1549058)   #14
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Hesnault was never the same again in his short F1 career after a massive testing shunt at Paul Ricard while driving the Brabahm.

I think a catchfencing trapped him and his Brabham. The accident pretty much shattered his confidence and after his one race in the Renault at the Nurburgring to test the camera car, he retired from Formula 1 and motorsport for good.
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Old 15 Mar 2006, 10:08 (Ref:1549321)   #15
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Originally Posted by Tim 27
I remember there being nothing between John and Paul Warwick when they were teammates in 2000's. He certainly showed well at F3000 level, but as you say, once he realised he didnt have the budget simply disappeared.
Alcorn was always a mystery to me, he seemed to get very good press at the time, possibly from MAWP froom memory. Though he did win a Brit F3 race, which I felt meant something then, he didn't do a lot else did he. Again OTOH, he was pretty well backed, by the standards of the time.

Paul Warwick, I'm sorry to say, never really did it for me. OK he won loads in Brit 3000, but against who ?? In 2000 and F3, he didn't shine at all, I never thought he looked a patch on his big brother.
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Old 15 Mar 2006, 18:11 (Ref:1549683)   #16
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Alcorn was always a mystery to me, he seemed to get very good press at the time, possibly from MAWP froom memory. Though he did win a Brit F3 race, which I felt meant something then, he didn't do a lot else did he. Again OTOH, he was pretty well backed, by the standards of the time.

Paul Warwick, I'm sorry to say, never really did it for me. OK he won loads in Brit 3000, but against who ?? In 2000 and F3, he didn't shine at all, I never thought he looked a patch on his big brother.
John Alcorn, aka 'The Essex Jockey'!!

Very amusing!!

You're right, he was a decent pedaller in F3 and he and his father's outfit (Becsport?) were tyring like mad to get an FIA 3000 budget together for 1990 or 91 IIRC.

Have a feeling he was at an end of year test that were annually organised by that 'Red and White fag' sponsor one year and did pretty well against some people who went all the way. Trouble is i can't remember (again!) if it was at the end of his Super Ford year ('87?) or one of his F3 seasons.

1989 was a classic F3 season for me so he must have been good to win a race that year. 1990 was a bad year as Hakkinen and Salo were miles clear of the rest, so John didn't get the right results.

He's probably one of those drivers that would've got further if he was competing at those levels in less competitive years as there were so many potential stars at the time.

I might include the late Paul W in that bracket as well - certainly very good but maybe not ultimately an out and out ace - but there were a lot of people who thought he was, including me.
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